Saturday, September 12, 2015

RIP: Dodger Chef Dave Pearson Passed Away

The Dodgers' longtime chef Dave Pearson passed away Saturday afternoon after a battle with lung cancer. He was 75.

Pearson
had worked for the team for over 50 years. He primarily prepared meals
in the Dodger press dining area, named "Dave's Diner," and served
everyone from team executives, broadcasters and the media. Dave
Pearson recently told Bill Plaschke of the LA Times:

"The best part of my job is cooking food that makes people happy," he
said. "If I can't get them my food, how am I going to make them happy?"

I
can vouch for how happy his cooking can make you feel. I had the
pleasure of enjoying a meal at "Dave's Diner" the onetime I worked the
press box.

Pearson worked daily at the stadium until a
few months ago when a bad cough lead to a Stage 4 lung cancer
diagnosis. Below are some great stories written about Dave below:

Pearson
worked at various locations within Dodger Stadium for more than 50
years, creating sumptuous meals for a vast array of individuals,
including sports greats, Hollywood stars and even presidents of the
United States. While food preparation was what he enjoyed most,
Pearson’s hobbies included model trains, building dollhouses for his
granddaughter, travel, tennis and a huge love for jazz music.

A
native of Brooklyn who cheered the Dodgers as a child, Pearson moved
with his mother to Southern California at age 16. After learning to cook
at a small restaurant in Boyle Heights, Pearson earned a part-time job
at Dodger Stadium, launching a career that would span decades.
...
“Dave
always took tremendous pride in his work and it was reflected in the
countless creative meals he prepared for all the staff and guests
through the years at Dodger Stadium,” said Dodgers’ President and CEO
Stan Kasten. “’Dave’s Diner’ will never be the same.”

“Besides
being a wonderful cook, Dave had a great personality,” Scully said.
“Regardless of the demands that came with serving so many people at a
venue like Dodger Stadium, he always maintained his composure. To look
at Dave, everything was always fine. He was always smiling. He was a
great gift to us, both his cooking and the type of person he was. He
will be deeply missed.”

Pearson is survived by his wife of 10 years, Sherry, his daughters and three grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Watch Dave Pearson with Mo Rocca of the Cooking Channel below. He shows Mo the proper way to crack an egg and gave him a new nickname.

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“There’s nothing like wearing a Dodger jersey. There’s nothing like it in sports. I don’t care that I’ve never been anywhere else. I don’t care. There’s nothing like wearing a Dodger jersey.” -- A.J. Ellis